The present invention relates to an ultrasound imaging system, and more particularly, to an ultrasound imaging system using a knowledge-based image adjusting device.
In general, to provide accurate diagnosis using an ultrasound imaging system, optimal ultrasound images showing the diagnostic region of the patient must be obtained. To obtain the optimal ultrasound images, a system operator selects a probe suitable for patients"" conditions and diagnostic regions, and finely adjusts image parameters, such as brightness, resolution, and contrast. Conventionally, selecting a suitable probe and adjusting image parameters have been performed manually by the system operator rather than automatically by the ultrasound imaging system.
In a conventional ultrasound imaging system, obtaining optimal ultrasound images is highly dependent on the personal ability of the system operator, e.g., the operator""s experience and skill in handling the system. The procedures for obtaining optimal ultrasound images are highly complicated. System operators, who usually operate the system to diagnose a great number of different patients per day, thus suffer from excessive work fatigue. Also the complicated adjustment procedures increase the time required to diagnose patients.
Some system operators operate the system to diagnose every patient under preset system conditions without performing the above-mentioned fine adjustments. Thus, optimal ultrasound images for the respective patients are not obtained, which may result in less than optimal diagnoses. Therefore, a system is needed that minimizes the above-mentioned procedures performed manually by a system operator without degrading the quality of ultrasound images, in order to obtain ultrasound images optimized for the particular patient""s condition.
Furthermore, conventional ultrasound imaging systems employ a user input device, which is used by a system operator for entering image parameters one-by-one. This input manner is very inconvenient for the system operator to operate three-dimensional ultrasound imaging system. As the number of image parameters to be entered through the user input device increases, the inconvenience is one of the major shortcomings obstructing full system performance. Accordingly, a user input device is needed that is capable of providing convenience in use and reducing preparation time required to diagnose patients, by allowing system operators to enter various parameters at once, the various parameters being necessary to the rotation and movement of three-dimensional ultrasound images in rectangular coordinates, angular coordinates, and spherical coordinates.
It is, therefore, an objective of the present invention to provide an ultrasound imaging system using a knowledge-based image adjusting device, capable of obtaining optimal ultrasound images for patients by automatically adjusting image parameters on the basis of pre-stored patient information and reducing manual operation procedures of a system operator.
Also, it is another objective of the present invention to provide an ultrasound imaging system employing a user input device capable of providing convenience in use and reducing preparation time required to diagnose patients, by allowing system operators to operate various input devices at once.
In accordance with a first embodiment of the present invention, an ultrasound imaging system using a knowledge-based image adjusting device for producing ultrasound images, comprising: a patient information database for storing patient information; a reference image database for storing reference image parameters; a similarity calculation unit, in communication with the patient information database and the reference image database, which compares patient information and corresponding reference image parameters, and determines a parameter with the highest similarity; and an image adjusting block, in communication with the similarity calculation unit, which selects a type of probe and automatically adjusts image settings of the selected probe based on the parameter with the highest similarity.
Also, in accordance with a second embodiment of the present invention, an ultrasound imaging system using a knowledge-based image adjusting device for producing ultrasound images, comprising: a patient information database for storing patient information; a reference image database for storing reference image parameters; a similarity calculation unit, in communication with the patient information database and the reference image database, which compares patient information and corresponding reference image parameters, and determines a parameter with the highest similarity; an image adjusting block, in communication with the similarity calculation unit, which selects a type of probe and automatically adjusts image settings of the selected probe based on the parameter with the highest similarity; and a user input device, in communication with the similarity unit, for inputting and adjusting degrees of freedom parameters.